El Nido is a beautiful coastal location in Palawan which is surrounded by tranquil blue waters and paradisal islands. When researching the town there is so much to do and therefore we decided to stay for 5 nights and searched for a busy Hostel that provided lovely views and had good access to beach tours.
We used HostelWorld and came across 2 main Hostels to choose from. The hostel we ended up choosing was Outpost Hostel as it was directly on the beach and was known for good socialising to meet people.
Arrival – 7/10
When arriving in El Nido we were dropped off in a peculiar location on the side of a bend of a main road. From here we were directed from our driver to head down some side steps. This was reimbursed as we saw overhead signs directing us onto the beach for the Outpost Hostel. Take a left across the beach for 2 minutes and you will end up at the steps of the Hostel.
It’s a simple Hostel to find as you just have to follow the beach until you find the entrance. If you are arriving in the morning you may find an issue of the tide coming in and having to walk through the sea (maybe up to your knees) to get to the entrance so wear appropriate clothing.
When you arrive you head past the bar to the desk which you are welcomed with happy staff who will help you with your bags and direct you to your room.
Rooms 8/10
There are many rooms to choose from including dorms ranging from 4 – 12 people and the option for a private room. The dorms are very spacious and offer ample space for you to keep your belongings at the bottom of each bed. It’s important to note that the dorms are bunk beds so you may require to stay at the top bunk which many people try to avoid. If it isn’t completely full at the hostel you are able to ask and they will put you in a bottom bunk if there are bottom bunks available.
The bedding is clean and the rooms are well kept. Very simple but all you can ask for from a hostel and the beds are comfy. Unfortunately they don’t have any privacy in the rooms. Curtains are not provided to give privacy which some may prefer but the- beds do still feel isolated and hidden which is nice.
Toilet & Showers 9/10
The toilets are very professional and communal to all the rooms in the Hostel. It’s one large area which has many cubicles that are checked regularly and kept to a really good standard. It’s decor is very modern and all the surfaces are kept clean. The showers are located in the same area as the toilets and are within cubicles just like the toilets. The showers are powerful and warm which is a nice touch for a hostel with hooks for your towel and any clothes you look to change into.
Communal/social Area 9.5/10
The communal area is the whole of the downstairs which consists of a reception, bar for drinks and tables and chairs for food and general socialising. It’s a large space which can hold up to 50-75 people perfect for social nights at the Hostel. In the day a lot of people spend their time at the tables eating breakfast/lunch and admiring the views before heading out on their daily adventures. There are even sun loungers and deck chairs provided for anyone that wants to spend time soaking up the sun and relaxing with on the beautiful beach.
Upstairs there is a quieter communal area which overlooks the beach and ocean which was a favourite space to each breakfast and soak up the morning views. There’s an open space that has sofas for comfort, a space for books and music which is perfect to relax. it’s a less sociable area than downstairs and is often a space used to individual time.
The Hostel offers an environment for both a quiet evening or a sociable one making it a great hostel no matter your situation.
Trips 10/10
The trips are the true selling point for the hostel! They do trips everyday as they have 2 main island hopping tours. The locations are split into tours A,B,C & D. One Tour is A & C and the other is B & D. These tours are very similar and but so different at the same time. They consist of visiting different islands that is close to the town of El Nido with different activities throughout the day.
A stop off close to an island that is so tiny that you have to swim to… it has no beach and there is a viewpoint at the top. The island was no more than 20 metres by 20 metres but the island had enough height above sea level to provide a beautiful view overlooking the waters to admire the picturesque islands in the back.
There were a few islands that perfect for scuba diving and offered the opportunity to find turtles. Although we didn’t manage to see any, there are popular locations that see many turtles in the wild. We were just unlucky. Some of these islands will offer drinks and snacks on the beach by locations and you are free to explore as you wish. If you don’t want to snorkel, you can explore down the coast or venture into the island further. Maybe plays some games with locals or other boat trip goers. Or just enjoy the view, sit back and relax on the beaches!
One of the islands is remembered very fondly as we played a game of volleyball with some locals on a random island. They didn’t speak any English and there was no way to communicate but all was needed was a volleyball. We split the teams up so we had some locals to make it fair and we played a game. It was one of the best experiences we have ever had! The best part of it was we played volleyball as the sun started to set! It was magical!
Also on the tour there is lunch provided which consists of a large fresh fish that is cooked whole and so soft! The fish was beautiful and there was also pork and chicken provided with rice and a handful of other options. There was also fruit provided which was super fresh! Watermelon and Pineapple is provided and you can eat as much as you want. We enjoyed this on one of the many beaches on the beach. They brought a table to set up to plate all the food on! The other trip had a stop which had a beach hut built on the side with benches and a table so food was served here!
Towards the end of each trip simple games were played with the whole boat and losers would be served a shot of the rum provided by the hostel. Everyone was given a shot as mandatory to get people in the mood and was a great way to kill time between islands.
When heading back and arriving back at the hostel, you were welcomed with an alcoholic beverage which was a lovely touch.
One of the days we wanted to go to a beach roughly an hour away and one of the workers were happy to take us there in a minibus and charging us a small fee each to do so! We ended up getting 8 or so people to come with and made a full day of it with the staff enjoying the trip also! We visited a few beaches, played volleyball and ate local cuisines. The staff are very flexible and are happy to help with any bookings or plans you have when in El Nido so if you do have a question be sure to ask!
Location 8/10
The town of El Nido is only a 5 minute TukTuk and once you get back onto the main road there will be TukTuks waiting or they will stop to ask if you need taking somewhere. You could walk the distance as it isn’t far but a TukTuk makes it easier! You should be able to get a TukTuk for 100/150 Filipino Peso. Make sure to barter and not overpay! There isn’t much to do in the town but there is food spots and a nice town.
Food (Taste) 8.5/10 (Price) 5/10
The food at the hostel is super nice! They serve up local foods like Pork Sisig (our favourite) and Chicken Adobo and it’s all freshly made and so flavourful. In the day they offer sandwiches and other snacks which is a great bite to eat while chilling! There is a lot of variety with vegetarian options available also! When you order just let them know you where you are sitting and they will bring the food up to you!
However, the price of the food is premium and you can find local restaurants that offer their food at a much cheaper rate. In September 2022, the food in El Nido cost roughly 300 peso for dinner with the lunch being slightly cheaper. However, there is a local restaurant round the corner which offers some beautiful homemade dishes for roughly 100/150 Filipino Peso which is a lot more affordable and is only a 5 minute walk.
We would recommend looking for local restaurants to eating to keep spending down for your trip.
Breakfast is included when booking a room and is one of the best meals for the day. They provide fresh fruit and beautiful options which will leave you very satisfied for your busy day ahead!
Facilities
The Hostel had an ATM on the top floor which was really convenient so you didn’t have to search for one and head into town.
Overall Review for Outpost Hostel
The Hostel was an amazing stay and one we would totally recommend when you are heading to El Nido! They customer service really is amazing and they really do improve your experience. The food is lovely and the boat trips really help you to see the surrounding areas which you cannot afford to miss! The rooms are standard but have the necessities needed plus some well kept and modern showers and bathrooms! The evening is organised well to keep travellers busy with games, social activities and more! The hostel is one of the better ones we stayed in during our time in South East Asia so don’t miss out! There’s no better view from a hostel balcony than a morning at Outpost, El Nido!
Thank you for reading our review of the wonderful Outpost Hostel in El Nido, Philippines! If you are debating whether to book here we would totally recommend it and know you will not be missing out!
Make sure to like the Blog post and let us know your views on staying at this amazing hostel!
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